When you are adding a user defined period and setting the period as part of defining a measure (in Custom mode or advanced search), you have the option to use offset dates. Administrators also have the option to offset dates when setting a defined period across a database.
Depending what you are doing, you will be presented with a slightly different window but the concept of the Offset option is the same. Rather than selecting a fixed date, such as Start: January 2016, you to define a ‘dynamic’daterange, such as year to date or last month based on today's date, so that the data continues to update.
The offset settings for the Days period type are different to those of the Months and Years, as outlined below.
Use offsets for month and year-based date ranges
Select the Offset checkbox to activate the offset date setting. You can set both the start and end dates as offsets, or just one.
Enter the offset date as a number. The timeframe displays in words next to the offset box.
Examples of common offsets for months and years
The settings in the following table are ‘set-and-forget’. They are designed to work into the future, without needing to adjust them every month or every year.
Example | Time unit | Current | Previous | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Start | End | Start | End | ||
Calendar Year to Date | Month | Not Offset. Choose January and 'most recent' | Offset: 0 | Not Offset. Choose January and 'second most recent' | Offset: -12 |
Financial Year to Date | Month | Not Offset. Choose start month of financial year, e.g. July and 'most recent' | Offset: 0 | Not Offset. Choose start month of financial year, e.g. July and 'second most recent' | Offset: -12 |
Month to Date | Day | Special. Choose first day of month 0. | Offset: 0 | Special. Choose first day of month -1 (or -12) | Special. Choose match today of month -1 (or -12) |
Last month | Month | Offset: -1 | Offset: -1 | ||
This month | Month | Offset: 0 | Offset: 0 | ||
Rolling 12 months | Month | Offset: -11 | Offset: 0 | ||
Last three years | Year | Offset: -2 | Offset: 0 | ||
Use offsets for day-based date ranges
Click the date box to display the options window, then select the tab of the option you want to use; Actual, Offset or Special.
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On the Actual tab, select a specific date.  |
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This option is essentially a day offset, either forwards or backwards from today. This option is useful, for example, to set a rolling 7-day period. On the Offset tab, enter or select a specific number of days. 
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The Special option allows you to select a day that is based on a month offset (selecting a certain type of day in a particular month). This option is useful, for example, when analyzing the month-to-date performance. On the Special tab, select one of four 'match' options (see table below) and offset that match against a chosen month: 
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Examples of common offsets for days
Example | Current | Previous | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Start | End | Start | End | |
Month to Date | Special > first day of month 0. | Offset: 0 | Special > first day of month -1 (or -12) | Special > match today of month -1 (or -12) |
Today | Offset: 0 | Offset: 0 | ||
Yesterday | Offset: -1 | Offset: -1 | ||
Last 7 days | Offset: -6 | Offset: 0 | ||
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